Let’s face it, the holidays can leave you faced with many a dilemma such as what to wear and how much to drink- especially at the annual office holiday party. Although many offices have had to cut back on elaborate venues and parties, there’s still a very strong desire for teams to celebrate the festive season as best they can. In light of this, today’s post offers itself as a guide to surviving your office work do by tackling the two most debated areas: fashion and drinks.

Fashion

We all know that around the holiday period we’re introduced to a whole new range of ladies dresses, designed to be different and impress for the festive season, so picking an outfit for your holiday party can be tricky – do you go casual or smart? And how dressy does dressy mean?! As a general rule, it’s better to keep things simple and classy.

Of course, you’ll be guided a lot by information on your invite, such as venue choice and / or theme, but generally a longer cut is always best. Diamante embellishments and textures like velvet, satin and mesh lace are all big trends at the moment and can easily be worked into your perfect evening dress. Heels are another big talking point and rightly so – the last thing you want is to fall head over heels down the stairs in front of everyone. On the flip side, flats can seem a bit too casual. Stick on the safe side and opt for a demi-heel; a kitten heel or wedge will look perfect.

Drinks

You’ve probably heard this mantra more times than you’ve thought about acting on it but believe me it’ll make the world of difference: alternate every alcoholic drink you have with a soft one.

Whether you choose to sneak some water or waltz around with a soda and lime masquerading it as a mixer, this trick is great. Because, let’s be honest now – is your signature ‘sexy’ dance move really what you want to be showing to your managing director? When it comes to your annual review, I think not. It’ll be more embarrassing than a director’s meeting when only one person is taking part in Movember.

And remember… attendance at work the next day is compulsory! There’s no better time to have a hangover at work – you’re all in it together after all. And hey, as long as you’re not ‘that guy’ or ‘that girl’ that everyone is talking about in the office the day after (for whatever reason), you’re all good.